A Small Problem
by halleyjo
Summary: There have been some unwanted visitors at the Institute recently. To get rid of them, it will take two sixpacks, several freaked out students, and a somewhat irritated Logan.
1. Chapter 1

There have been some unwanted visitors at the Institute recently. To get rid of them, it will take two six-packs, several freaked-out students, and a somewhat irritated Logan. Rated safely for language.

A/N: Unfortunately inspired by real-life events. I was up late one night, writing for my other story, when an idea hit me. And hard. Hearing those scary little scratching sounds can do that to you.

My OC Gwen makes an appearance here later on, so don't be confused when she shows up. She's in my other two stories, so she does have a background if you're interested. Enjoy!

* * *

**A Small Problem**

It was an unusually warm winter night in Upstate New York, but that didn't mean it still wasn't cold. Snow from the previous week's blizzard had been frozen over with ice. At Xavier's School for the Gifted, the younger students had spent hours entertaining themselves in the yard with these wintry assets.

However, Storm preferred the artificial heat of the indoors. Often people assumed that she would enjoy any element of weather produced by nature, but it was the opposite. She'd had enough snow experience to last her the rest of her life.

Storm was used to listening to the shouts of the children that she taught, so not having anyone next to her screaming or laughing nonstop took a little getting used to. She hadn't been able to sleep that night, so her immediate instinct was to head to the kitchen and brew herself a cup of tea. At least that would be a welcome alternative to simply staring up at the ceiling.

Sighing happily, Storm took a sip from her warm mug and stared out of the window. The sky was bright, the way it was during the colder months. It was moments like these that made her truly grateful for a break from her hectic life. The daily struggles and trials that came with being an X-Men disappeared, and everything was completely peaceful, serene even...

_Scritch. Scritch. Scritch._

Storm turned away from the outside scenery, startled, as she heard a gentle rustling coming from the other side of the room, near the fridge. As far as she knew, there weren't any students roaming around at that time.

"Hello?" she inquired, setting her tea on the counter and rising from her chair to investigate. No one replied, and after several minutes passed by silently, Storm concluded that she had been imagining things, and put it out of her mind.

* * *

**Two Days Later**

"Cuz, ya know, like, if he hadn't meant it, he totally would have turned you down when you asked, cuz that's just how boys are, and who cares if he didn't even kiss you goodnight, cuz maybe he's just shy, ya know, and I think that's sweet anyways. Plus, even if he did start, like, whining about Sex and the City halfway through, it totally does NOT mean you can't get along! Like, opposites attract and all that stuff..." Jubilation Lee ranted as she led her friend through the kitchen door, in an effort to cheer her up.

Kitty Pryde, nevertheless, was not comforted at all, having just been through what she considered to be a disastrous date. She had arrived back at the Institute only twenty minutes before, but everyone already knew about her night out with Joe. Her hair was still teased up into what all her friends thought was the perfect ponytail, and gloss remnants remained on her lips. However, she had taken off her painfully pointed high heels and pulled a sweatshirt on over her carefully compiled T-shirt and skinny jeans combination.

"Jubilee," Kitty announced, breathing deeply and shaking her head, "maybe you're right, but what if I'M right? What if he only said he liked me because he was having a really good day?" She flopped down into the wooden chair next to the counter. "And what if he only went out with me because he felt bad?"

"Dude, it'll be totally okay. You're just overanalyzing!" Jubilee told her helpfully. "You have to, like, be all clear-headed about it, like those guys in Asia who sleep in caves or whatever for perspective. At least he didn't start grinding with that skanky girl from Kennedy, like Toby did that time!" She grinned, obviously under the impression that her words were reassuring, and pulled milk out of the fridge.

"Oh, thanks! Thanks for reminding me!" Kitty moaned, burying her face in her hands. "I shouldn't even be allowed to talk to boys, I screw it up so much..."

"No, you don't," Jubilee said, pouring out cocoa mix into two large cups. "How do you want your HoCho? Thick or extra thick?"

"Stop calling it HoCho! That is so annoying! It's hot chocolate!"

"Delicious HoCho..." she smirked as she put the cups into the microwave and pressed the timer. Then she took a seat opposite Kitty. "So he said he'd see you around, right?"

"Yeah." Kitty winced at the memory.

"I think that you should, like, just call him up and ask what that meant, ya know? Cuz it's over the phone, so you can hang up if it goes weird and then you never have to see him again. But if he says he, like, wants another date, then that's good too! You can go see that new Will Ferrell movie with him!"

Kitty, who had been slumped over, suddenly sprang up and swiveled her head around to face the fridge. "Jubilee! Shut up for a sec!"

Jubilee looked incredibly insulted. "I'm just trying to help," she told her indignantly. "Like, what's the matter?"

Holding up a finger, Kitty looked apologetic and wary at the same time. "No, it's not you. I think I hear something. Listen."

There was silence for an instant. Then they both heard: Scritch. Scritch.

"What the freak is that?" Jubilee asked in a whisper.

"Maybe the light's are whacked up again," Kitty said.

"But it's coming from over there," she stated, pointing over at the foot of the fridge. Standing up, she walked over to the microwave, where a long beep had signaled the completion of their drinks. "I bet there's, like, a piece of ice or something in it. It'll go away." Jubilee immediately switched topics as she pulled out the cups, frowning as the heat of the ceramic clays warmed her fingers. "About Joe. What was he like when he was sitting with you? Like, was he close, or was he trying to keep from touching you, at like, any cost? God, I hate it when boys do that; like, get a grip, we're not third gra-"

She stopped, and a sudden spasm of fear caused her to drop both hot chocolates. The cups broke when they hit the floor, splashing hot liquid on Jubilee's feet. She jumped away and started screaming. Kitty quickly rose.

"What? What?" She ran over, careful not to step on the shards. Jubilee started bouncing in pain.

"A freaking mouse just ran across the floor! It was, like, right on my toes!" She motioned at the fridge. "It went there!"

"Oh, my god!" Kitty began yelling too. "We have mice! Ew!"

* * *

"It's official," Kitty announced as Hank McCoy slathered lotion on Jubilee's feet. "I really hate nature. How did we get mice?"

"If someone had left the door open for too long during the summer, they could have gotten in easily," Hank said. He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his blue nose. "Hold still, Jubilation."

"My feet are, like, dead!" Jubilee wailed.

"No, they'll be fine," Hank told her. "I assure you, you'll be healed in no time. At the moment, our biggest problem is the rodent situation."

"That part sucks too," Jubilee conceded.

A/N: Okay, that was the first chapter. It was going to be a one-shot, but when I started writing it, it got too long. So be on the lookout for the following parts.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: The women's names used in this chapter are the four main characters from Sex and the City. Thanks to the reviewers, too. Also, Gwen shows up in this chapter. Now: On with the show!

**The Next Day**

"And Logan, if you insist on having alcohol here, you must find a better spot to hide it. You know how teenagers can be," Professor Xavier told the man. Kurt and Scott were also there, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. Just a simple run through of the issues that had come up in the past week. Usually Storm would have been there too, but right then she had taken some of the children food shopping.

Logan rolled his eyes and grunted. "Yeah, I know, Chuck. You've told me before." He had been leaning against the wall, but he straightened, preparing to leave. Kurt and Scott also stood from their chairs.

"One more thing, gentlemen," Xavier noted. They turned and faced him. "It appears that Miss Lee and Miss Pryde discovered a small problem last night. We have mice. Storm should be buying traps right now, though, so I wouldn't worry about it."

Kurt nodded; Scott gave an imperceptible shrug, as was the norm ever since the death of his fiance, Jean Grey. Logan, however, made a face and started muttering darkly about "goddamn rats."

He was interrupted by the door of the office swinging open. In the frame stood a short, dark-haired girl, Gwen Wagner. She was Kurt's niece.

"Hey," she said, marching in with a can of soda in her hand. "Bad time?"

"No," Xavier told her, "we just finished. Is something wrong?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah, a bunch of things. We just ran out of diet coke. Most likely cuz I drank it all. I swear, I've had four of them in the past hour. It kind of feels like I swallowed a dumbbell." Pausing, she bit her lip in thought. "What else? Oh, right. None of us are having a good day. Jubilee's feet are all burned and she doesn't feel like walking anywhere, so we're stuck in the TV room till she feels better. And Kitty's all mopey about Joe, so she's no fun either. Rogue's been trying to convince her it's okay, but god, he didn't even kiss her goodnight, so I'm not sure it's even worth bothering – don't tell her I said that, okay?"

"We won't," Kurt said, failing to suppress an obvious grin. "What do you want?"

Gwen wrinkled her nose and took a sip from her can. ""Well, everyone's spazzing about the mice, so they're making me get them EVERYTHING from the kitchen. They said it's because I can run faster, but it's getting wicked annoying. So I think we should move the fridge out to where we are."

"No." The response was immediate.

She stomped her foot. "Oh, come on! I won't make you do it...here, I'll commission Logan for you. Kurt, give me twenty bucks."

Kurt crossed his arms. "Use your own money."

"Can't, I don't have any. I had to get the red dress; you know that."

Logan piped up. "I ain't doing it for twenty bucks." He seriously looked like he was willing to negotiate for a higher price.

"No one is moving the fridge," Xavier mandated. Gwen cocked her head to the side.

"Fine. But someone has to give these people a reason to move. Make them feel better." She suddenly jumped up and down excitedly. "Ooh! I know! Tell them they look pretty. That'll fix everything."

Logan snorted, but didn't reply.

"No, it really works!" she said. "Here, I'll show you. Scott, you look really pretty today."

Scott, who hadn't shaven for a week and was wearing the same shirt as the day before, glared at her through his opaque glasses. It was the first real expression he had had in months. Gwen noticed.

"See," she announced falteringly. "It sorta worked..."

Kurt came to Scott's defense and gave her a sharp glare. She ignored him.

"I guess you aren't doing that. So what are you doing for the mice problem, then? God, that fully freaks me out."

"Storm's getting traps as we speak," Xavier told her. Gwen frowned.

"Wait. Make sure she doesn't get the kind with the metal bits. We had mice back in my old apartment building and the stupid super used them...then he went home at the end of the day. He didn't even live there, just came to yell at us for lease or whatever. I think that's why I like Rent so much, I totally identify-"

"Gwen-" Kurt began, but she interrupted him.

"Off track, right. But don't use the metal traps."

"What worked?"

She thought for a moment. "Hmm...you know, that was it. I think there's still mice, actually. Again, stupid super. Glad we don't live there anymore." By 'we,' she was referring to herself and her father, Kurt's half-brother. "I'm going back with everyone now, since none of you wanted to help me. See you later, Carrie, Charlotte, Samantha, Miranda..."

She opened the door and began to leave, but then turned back. "Professor, you're Carrie; Scott, you're Charlotte; Logan, you're Samantha; Kurt, you're Miranda. Bye, everyone."

The men shared a brief, slightly awkward silence with each other, having just been called by women's names. Then Logan asked: "Who're they?"

* * *

**Later**

"All right, but I swear, this is the last time!" Gwen shouted at Jubilee as she went down the hallway to the kitchen. Her mission was to retrieve a bag of chips for everyone as they watched a movie together as she got herself a new diet coke. "This is fully annoying," she muttered darkly as she pushed the door open. "Oh, hey, Logan."

Gwen couldn't see his face, only his tattered jeans. He was kneeling under the cabinets, grunting in an irritated manner. She heard him curse as she walked in, following a metallic thwap!

"Dammit!" Logan screamed, his voice muffled by the dark space. This was trailed by the sound of his head hitting the bottom of the sick as he extracted himself. "You distracted me!" he yelled at her.

She wasn't affected. "Sorry, dude. Where's the new chip bag?"

Logan ran his hands through his hair, massaging his scalp. "Look in there," he told her, gesturing towards the counter doors. She complied, and found it nestled between cocoa mix and pretzels.

"Thanks," she said. Then realization struck her. "Why are you on the floor?"

The older man grimaced. "Storm got the traps. Guess who was chosen to install them."

"That sucks."

"I s'pose. I just shut my finger in it." He held up his hand and she winced sympathetically.

"Told you not to get the metal kind," she said. He looked irritated.

"I ain't the one who chose it."

"Fine, fine. But they ain't...I mean, they're not gonna work at all. Mice can get the bait off them and escape." Gwen sighed. "This is like being nine again."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Logan rolled himself back under the sink.

"So what are you still doing it for?" she asked him.

"If this doesn't work, it's Chuck's problem then." A moment passed by, and Gwen was about to leave, when Logan popped back out again, this time more carefully.

"Uh...so, why did you call me Samantha?" he inquired, scratching his head.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thanks to all the reviewers, it makes me happy!

Disclaimer: (I forgot this, sorry). I don't own the X-Men, just the Gwen character.

* * *

**One Day Later**

"I need money!" Gwen wailed, running into the TV room. Her friends were stretched out over the couch and chairs, watching Pirates of the Caribbean as though it were a preacher giving an inspiring sermon. No one glanced up at her.

"He should have raised your grade," Kitty said blearily, not paying attention at all. "Give me another Twix, Jubes."

Jubilee followed her command and gave the candy to her. She tore the wrapper off and shoved it into her mouth, barely stopping to swallow. It looked as though she was about to go on another rant about how much she hated guys.

Gwen groaned loudly. "And then I said, 'So let's go get a room,' and he was all, 'There's a bathroom stall right here, what are we waiting for?'"

No one gave any sign of reaction. "So it turns out I was born as a boy."

Still nothing. "I'm going to go dance naked on the roof."

Kitty sniffled. "Joe hasn't called back yet. I don't know what to do."

Gwen walked over to the couch, pushing Bobby out of the way onto the floor. "Move it, Rob, this is serious."

"Ow!" he shouted as his knee hit the corner of the table.

"My bad. Kitty, just call him. I mean it; this really can't go on forever." Gwen settled her back into the cushions. "What's that look, Jubilee?"

Jubilee's face was crossed between a frown and a wince. "My feet still hurt."

"Take an aspirin."

"Gwen, you're sitting on them."

Gwen jumped up. "Oh, sorry!" After Jubilee had moved her feet as carefully as possible, she sat back down. "Wanna hear my problem?"

Kitty sighed and held her forehead in her hand. "Go for it."

"I'm out of money. I used it all on the dress for that club trip. But it turns out that there's a new lipstick out that was actually made for this designer guy. And I tried it on at our last visit to the mall...god, it's perfect. But it costs twenty five bucks, which I don't have." She sighed. "I'm not kidding, it's like it was made for me. Kurt says he's not lending me anything anymore, though, ever since that time I spilled raspberry smoothie all over his shirt. That sucks too, cuz it looked so cute on a girl. I told him that, and that's when he said I wasn't allowed to use his things anymore."

Kitty wrinkled her nose, focused on the movie. "Guys SUCK."

"I know. Bobby, stop trying to hit us, you can't do it right. Go do something with Rogue." She gestured over at her friend, who had been half-asleep till she heard her name mentioned.

"Hm?"

"Nothing, Rogue. Go back to sleep," Jubilee told her. She turned back to the conversation. "I think you should just, like, call him already."

"You're no fun when you're mopey," Gwen said, ruffling Kitty's hair. She batted her hand away.

"Come on, quit it." She settled back into the crook of her elbow. "I wish I knew what Joe was even thinking. We need some, like, sort of way to get into his head-"

"I'm a telepath!"

"I'm not doing anything like that, Gwen. But, like, if we could get some boy to talk about this with, that would probably help."

Bobby cleared his throat noisily.

"We could ask Kurt. Or Logan, maybe."

"Good idea. Let's go."

Kitty glanced up at her, disbelieving. "What, now?"

"I don't have anything better to do."

"I'm in," Jubilee said.

* * *

"Kurt! We need to talk! Open up!" Gwen hammered on his door, taking her arm from Kitty's. Jubilee was leaning against her shoulder, trying to get some relief from her aching feet. "Kurt. Now."

A few moments later, her uncle appeared in the doorway. His eyes were half-closed, and he had a blanket wrapped around his frame. "Is something wrong, Gwen?"

"Yeah. Kitty and I were talking about Joe, and – Kurt, you're wearing pants, right? Please tell me you're wearing pants."

Kurt's expression was a mixture of exhaustion and exasperation. "Gwen, it's eleven. I didn't get any rest last night, because I had to grade tests. I was sleeping."

Gwen looked disgusted. "God, then wrap that blanket tighter. This'll scar me for life...So anyways, Kitty wanted to know what a boy means when he says he likes you and then doesn't kiss you on your date-"

"Hey, you promised you wouldn't tell him that part!"

"Kitty...dude...everyone knows already. So what's Joe even doing, Kurt?"

Kurt squinted. "How am I supposed to know? I'm not Joe, whoever he is."

"Dammit! This is why guys suck, they don't even know what we wanna hear. Let's go; he's not gonna help us." Gwen began stomping down the hall, hampered by Jubilee, who had paused to observe the small part of Kurt's chest that was exposed. She grinned and made a thumbs-up sign at him, and he looked confused.

"I need sleep..." he murmured.

* * *

"Logan's in the kitchen," Gwen said. "The mice won't come out. He's too scary. So get over it."

They walked in, only to kick over two empty beer cans. One had three evenly spaced gashes in the side of it. The man who had delivered those blows was sitting at the counter, nursing a third drink. He had slumped over, but straightened when the door opened and grabbed a small trap next to him.

"I'm working on it," Logan said guiltily. "They'll be gone soon."

"It's okay, dude, we don't care that you're slacking." Jubilee limped over to the chair opposite him and sat down. "We just want to talk."

"Why didn't Joe kiss Kitty goodnight?"

"Gwen, cut it out!"

Logan rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows what happened. You ain't covering it up, girl."

Kitty covered her face with her hands. "Oh, perfect. You better help me. So what did he do that for?"

Logan shrugged. "Listen. You're on this 'I hate boys' jag; Jubilee and Chuck are about to open a wheelchair store out of charity; this one-" he waved at Gwen - "won't stop yapping about that new lipstick. We've got problems. Kurt's too tired to help me shove mousetraps into an electrical system, and Summers ain't helping either. If I can manage to kill these goddamn mice without going insane, I still don't think I'll ever be able to figure out what the hell the hormone-crazed boys around here are thinking about, besides the obvious. Sorry to disappoint you." He took a long swig from his beer. "Maybe you should just go to sleep...or brush your hair. Just do something. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find a good rodent poison."

Logan stood up.

"You're getting it now?"

"Hey, I've been signed up for this. If it gets me out of leading you all around the Danger Room for a few days, then I won't rest till every mouse in this godforsaken place bites it."

Gwen chuckled sarcastically. "Charming. Kitty, it's probably better he didn't have anything to tell you."

* * *

A/N: Yep, so everyone's got a problem...Kitty's confused about a boy; Gwen wants a new lipstick; Jubilee's feet hurt; Kurt's tired; and Logan's trying to track down a bunch of mice. We'll get into that more next chapter, though. Stay tuned! 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: There's nothing to say but Happy Thanksgiving, y'all who are reading this!

Disclaimer: Don't own the X-Men, but danged if I didn't wish I did.

* * *

**Two Days Later**

"Kurt – you're asleep again." Storm nudged her friend as he slumped over the table. He woke with a start.

"Sorry," he muttered, rubbing his eyes and breathing out slowly. "I just keeping waking up in the middle of the night. I think I've gotten about six hours total since last weekend."

Storm winced sympathetically. "Do you want some more coffee?"

Kurt shook his head. "I've had three cups this morning..."

It was just before breakfast, and most of the students were still coming into the hall. The teachers had come early, as was custom, to watch over the children and make sure nothing indecent occurred. Kurt, however, couldn't seem to hold his head up for very long. Storm tried a couple times to keep him moving, before finally giving up and letting him rest.

As more of the kids began walking in, chattering loudly, she caught sight of Gwen Wagner, who happened to be coming over to the two adults at the moment.

"Morning," she said brightly, before patting her uncle on the shoulder. "Kurt, you're in high school now. I think you're going to need to learn how to balance your studies and sleep habits if you want to do well-" She was reciting the speech given to children who stayed up all night on homework, in a rather sarcastic tone.

"What do you want, Gwen?" Kurt mumbled, cutting her off.

"Homework was pages 87 to 94, right?"

He nodded groggily.

"Okay, I'll do that at study, then."

"That's not really resp-" Storm began, but Gwen waved her off.

"Like no one does it." To Kurt: "You look kinda tired."

"I am."

"That sucks. I got a lot of rest last night. It feels like twenty-five hours worth, actually."

He snapped up. "I'm not giving it to you, Gwen...By the way, you wouldn't happen to be playing nightmares over and over through my mind at night, would you?" His eyes narrowed in accusation. She looked offended.

"Kurt, what are you saying? I think you're just in a bad mood because you can't sleep, and you're taking it out on me. But it's alright, I totally forgive you, cuz I know you'd do the same for me." She shook her straightened hair away from her face and walked over to the muffin tray on the other side of the room. Kurt sighed.

"She's probably right," he said, resting his head on his chin. Storm patted his back.

"Go to bed early."

* * *

Logan growled in the back of his throat. Chasing mice was really getting tiresome. They weren't taking the poison he had set out, and the traps Storm had bought were completely useless. However, they were the only methods he knew of for rectifying this problem.

He kicked at the untouched toxin and felt his pockets for another cigar, the fourth one since six that morning. He'd run out of beer too, despite the fact that it was ten AM. Hell, if he had been given this godforsaken job, he might as well try to enjoy himself as he could.

He lit the cigar on the stove, sighing. If he couldn't solve this problem with the more mundane traps and poison, then he would just rip open their nest and slice them up with his claws. Cruel, yes, but a lot quicker.

Logan considered this, and decided to try the traps one last time. The Institute had probably softened him.

He marched out of the kitchen, taking a deep drag on his cigar, and grabbed the keys to Summers' best bike on the way outside. He was going to need a _lot_ more alcohol to put up with the rodents for any longer period of time.

* * *

**The Next Day**

"Dammit!" Logan screamed, stomping his boot on the ground at the sight of yet another empty trap.

"You didn't shut your hand again, did you?" Storm said behind him. Logan snarled and turned on her.

"No, I didn't. I just wish it wasn't the only thing to get caught in it!"

Storm nodded patiently. "Right. Maybe the mice are just smart."

"Yeah, maybe...you know, I don't value comments like that," he said angrily as he realized she was teasing him. "These traps you got ain't doing anything."

She shrugged and stirred her tea. "I'm sorry for that. But I think you're scaring them."

Logan continued with his tantrum for a moment, extracting his claws and punching them through his empty beer before hearing her. "Whaddya mean?"

"Noise frightens them. They hide. If you stop screaming threats at the kids who bother you and crunching your cans-" she nudged a flattened one by her foot – "they'd come back out. It's late, which is when they like to move around. If they're not out, then they're clearly scared of you."

"I guess so...why are you up, then?"

Storm grinned. "Kurt. He thinks Gwen's been depriving him of sleep to wrangle some money out of him, so he asked me to stand guard so he could get some rest. We're camping out in the rec room."

"Sounds cozy. So how long do I have to keep quiet?"

She shrugged. "Depends. Good luck, Logan."

He grunted in response as she left the room.

* * *

**Two Days Later**

"Mouse...traps..." Kitty muttered as she typed the words into the computer database. "All right, here we go. 'SnapTrap!' 'Tom Kat!' Jubilee, which sounds good?"

"Click on the second one, like, the cat one. Cats are s'posed to hate mice, yeah?"

"Mmyeah...this looks good. Don't even have to touch them."

"Print it out, then." Jubilee shifted from foot to still-aching foot. "This was Gwen's idea. Why do we have to, like, do it for her?"

"She said something about having found a way to get the lipstick. You know how obsessed she is with it."

Kitty collected the information from the printer, and then led her friend out of the computer room into the hallway. "Did she say how?"

"I think she's just taking it out of Kurt's wallet."

"Oh, all right." Jubilee shuffled alongside Kitty, lagging behind her a teensy bit. As they walked to the bedroom Gwen and Rogue shared, they began discussing Joe for the thousandth time in the past week. He still hadn't called.

"...maybe he's, like, on vacation. Maybe he's just got a lot of work at school. I think you should, like, call already! It's not the 1800's anymore..."

"You're right. You're completely right." Kitty stiffened as they arrived and opened the door. "If I don't call in the next two days, call for me."

"Deal!"

Rogue and Gwen were lying on their separate beds, but the latter was curled in a ball with her eyes were screwed up in concentration. The previous girl was flipping through a magazine, studying it as though it was test material she had to cram for.

"Hey, y'all," Rogue said, not looking up. "Got the trap stuff?"

"Yeah, I think these might actually work," Kitty told her. "Err...what's Gwen doing?"

"I don't know. Don't interrupt her; this is the longest she's gone without talking about money for days." Rogue shook her head. "It's beginning to make me a little scared."

"Did it!" Gwen shrieked suddenly, springing up from her ball.

"Did what?" Kitty asked.

She held up her hand. "Nothing. Inner peace. Find anything good?"

"It's called the Tom Kat. The website said it was the best."

Gwen nodded enthusiastically. "Great. We can give it to Logan in the morning."

Meanwhile, in the rec room, Storm was peacefully reading a book and sipping at her lukewarm tea. Kurt was lying next to her under a blanket, his eyes shut tightly in deep slumber. They had been doing this for the past few days, but every night, the same thing happened-

"Oh!" he started, breathing hard as he woke up, looking confused and alarmed. Looking around the room, he remembered where he was and ran his three-fingered hands through his hair. "Gott in Himmel..."

"Bad dream?" Storm asked him, groaning. "That's the second time tonight...what is _wrong_ with you?"

* * *

A/N: All right, either next chapter or the one after that will be the end of this story. Hope you all enjoyed it!

Cookies to whoever can figure out what Gwen's doing (it's evil).


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Oh, gosh, sorry this took so dang long! I'll go bop myself over the head now...

This is the last chapter (this always makes me sad), but I hope you liked it!

Disclaimer: I own nothing but Gwen.

* * *

**The Next Day**

Huh, Logan thought. For once in their lives, those bubbly, twittering girls had actually been helpful. He pulled the trap from its packaging and examined it. Open, shut, open, shut. It worked very smoothly. For the first time in a week, he felt his nerves calm down a bit. Maybe this time he could get rid of the mice.

How great _that_ would be.

He grinned as he listened to the gentle scratching that had suddenly started up. Taking Storm's advice had been a good decision on his part, as the mice had begun scampering across the floor again. This would be easy.

Logan propped open the trap once more, before kneeling on the floor and sticking his head back under the sink. He located the nest once more and set it down a foot away.

Now all he had to do was wait.

* * *

**The Next Day**

"All right, everyone," Gwen announced in her most proper, attention-grabbing voice. "The viewing will be ten dollars per person. If I do not complete the act, Jubilation here will refund your money and spray me up with windex for you."

"Gwen, what are you doing this for?" Artie asked from the back of the crowd.

She smiled. "For your entertaining pleasure. And the fact that I'm about to make seventy bucks at a great life risk. I think all the Malcolm in the Middle episodes I've seen have warped my common sense." She considered it for a moment. "I guess that explains why I get to spend so much time in detention."

Jubilee waited to see if she was done, then addressed the kids before her. "Yeah, so give me the money as you go in the kitchen. And don't, like, be conspicuous about it. It'll totally ruin everything. Be quiet."

The students filed in one by one, each handing the girl the ten dollars. Finally, it was only her and Gwen left in the hallway.

"You ready?"

"Fully."

Jubilee grinned. "Nice knowing you." Then she held the door open for her friend, who entered with a flourish, before taking her place at the front of the gathered crowd. They had formed a half circle around the sink, all staring at the man who had his upper body beneath it.

"I hear you kids," Logan told them, not coming out from the cabinet. "Don't try anything. Just get your soda or whatever and get out; I need to kill these stupid mice today or I'll completely lose it."

They stifled their laughter as Jubilee joined them. A few moments passed before they began to wonder silently: Was Gwen chickening out?

Jubilee nudged her, trembling with suppressed giggles. "Now or never," she muttered.

Gwen turned around to face the onlookers, made a thumbs-up, and stepped forward so she was just behind Logan. Then, before she could lose her nerve, she bent down slightly and slapped him sharply on his ass with a loud smack.

The reaction was similar to that of an electrical shock. He shrieked, jumping up and hitting his head on the bottom of the sink. Everyone roared with laughter, as they rushed out of the kitchen with Gwen at the front.

"This is totally worth it!" she yelled as they turned the first corner, with Logan stumbling after them, claws popping maniacally. The chase lasted until the students could disband into the rec room and stairs leading to the second floor. Gwen herself made a bounding leap in the direction of the front doors.

Logan hadn't seen who had done it, but as he helplessly watched the boys and girls scurry away, he gloomily realized he couldn't catch them all. Instead, he stopped in the middle of the hallway, breathing loudly. Then:

"I hate these damn kids!"

* * *

"Well, Gwen, you've completely inspired me," Kitty said after she had recounted the events to her friend. "If you can be that brave, then so can I. I'm calling Joe right now!" She stood up from the bed, where Gwen was curled up beneath a blanket. She had gotten herself locked outside, and had stayed there for an hour till Kurt had let her back in, yawning. However, despite the fact that her teeth were still chattering, she was grinning as she counted the money she had made.

"_Se- ven- ty...eight- ty-... nine-ty_!" She looked up at Kitty. "Hey, good...for you!"

Jubilee, who was seated in the desk chair, was positively beaming. "'Bout time!"

Kitty smiled back, crossed her fingers, and left the room.

"_Ya- ay_!" Gwen said, wrapping herself tighter. A few more minutes passed, and finally she warmed up a bit. "Yeah, this was definitely worth it," she told Jubilee, holding her money up. "Now I can get that lipstick, and I have enough left over for that satin-y top we saw week before last! This is perfect..."

"Sure is." Jubilee stretched out her legs, flexing her now-healed feet happily.

* * *

"Yeah, I got a couple of detentions, so what?" Gwen asked, running her hands through her hand one final time in the reflection of the window. "Logan'll get over it. He should take it as a compliment, actually."

Kurt rolled his eyes, though lack of sleep made it hurt to do so. "I hope he does."

"What are you doing tonight?"

He sighed. "Meeting Storm in here and sleeping. Or trying to, at least."

Gwen tried not to glance over at him, but she looked a little guilty. Kurt, who was yawning again, didn't notice. "What time is it?"

He looked over at the VCR digital clock. "Close to seven. What are you all dressed up for?"

She smiled joyfully. "Kitty called Joe back, and it turns out that he's been at basketball tryouts that last into the night. He was just really busy. So we're going out as a group to go hang out at the mall." Smoothing down her new pink camisole, she pointed at her mouth. "And I got enough money for the lipstick."

"And you look very pretty. Although I must say, your method of getting it didn't help anyone."

"Who says?" Now Gwen was smirking. "I think I gave him enough spark to finish off the mice."

"Really?" Yawn.

"Yeah, fully. He says they're all gone- well, except for a couple. They're babies, so he's keeping them in a cage in his room. Which is sweet, considering the fact that he killed their parents." She crossed her arms. "We're going to name them tomorrow."

"That's nice...Gwen?"

"Mm?"

"I know what you've been doing to me."

"You do? I mean...oh, oops."

Kurt glared up at her. "It was obvious."

Gwen squinted worriedly. "What are you gonna do to me?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on! - wait, nothing?" She looked puzzled.

"Yes, nothing. I find it a bit difficult to keep up with your antics, you know."

"Yeah, I'm a problem." She walked over to where he was sitting on the couch and hugged him. "I'll see you later. Have a good night."

"I will. You too." As she exited the room, Storm came up to her from the direction of the kitchen.

"Is Kurt in there?" the woman asked, blowing slightly on her steaming tea.

"Yeah, he's waiting for you." Gwen nodded her head his way.

"All right. Have fun tonight."

"Thanks. You too, Storm." She smiled at her teacher before heading off.

Out in the foyer, everyone was waiting to be picked up by Joe and his friends. Kitty, the star of the evening, was wearing a borrowed miniskirt, a black stretchy top, and carefully arranged waves. Her cheeks were glowing in excitement.

"This is so great!" she told Gwen as she arrived. "Jubes doesn't even limp anymore. I think that's a good sign."

"It totally is."

"I was just, like, thinking that exact thing!"

They grinned at each other, laughing.

* * *

Logan lit another cigar as he lay in his bed, studying the cage at his feet. There were four baby mice inside of it, burrowing around beside their foster mother, the last female left. They'd probably start multiplying soon, but he could just sell them back to the pet store where he had gotten the cage in the first place.

He had to admit, however, he was getting quite attached to them. Fixing the problem had been surprisingly difficult, and the last ones had to be tough to survive. He felt a surge of affection run through him, before he sighed. The Institute was definitely softening him up. He hadn't even bothered to snipe at Gwen when she had been revealed as his perpetrator, something he would have done before without a second thought.

Logan – Wolverine - Samantha or Miranda or whatever it was that he had been called - had a small problem of his own, this...liking the place and the kids that came with it thing. But maybe, he thought as he watched the mice bustle against each other, not all problems were meant to be fixed.

The End


End file.
